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Match Report

Posted
Sat 04 Jul 15
at 09:55 AM

Tranmere got back to winning ways with a 2-1 win at Macclesfield. Goals from Steve McNulty and Michael Ihiekwe were enough to see the points come back to Wirral.

Gary Brabin made one change to the starting eleven with Matt Hill replacing Liam Ridehalgh at left back. Cole Stockton returned to the squad following his loan at Southport and took a place on the bench.

Rovers made a positive start and opened the scoring on five minutes. James Norwood forced a good save out of Shwan Jalal for a Tranmere corner and Adam Mekki's set piece was met by a towering header by Steve McNulty who sent the ball in off the post.

The big defender almost made it 2-0 with a carbon copy three minutes later when Mekki's delivery again found him in the penalty box but his effort this time went narrowly over the bar.

James Norwood then had an opportunity on 14 minutes when a poor back pass didn't reach Jalal and the Rovers striker lobbed it over him but onto the roof of the net.

Macclesfield first effort on goal saw Paul Lewis try his luck from 25 yards but his shot was straight at Scott Davies who saved.

Mekki forced another good save from Jalal on 23 minutes as he broke forward and fired in a low shot from 20 yards.

On 33 minutes, the division's top goalscorer Kristian Dennis forced Davies into a smart save at his near post as the hosts tried to get back in the game.

The hosts equalised on the stroke of half time when a cross from the right was headed home by Dennis.

Dennis had the first chance of the second half on the hour-mark when he hit a 30-yard free kick just wide.

Norwood then forced Jalal into a save low at his near post but in the 77th minute, Tranmere retook the lead when Mekki with another right wing corner found Michael Ihiekwe at the near post who thundered a header past Jalal.

Macclesfield were reduced to 10 men with three minutes remaining as Paul Lewis was sent off for a second bookable offence as Tranmere played the game out to take all three points.